Tide Pods Laundry Detergent Product Review

After eight years of research and development and testing, testing, testing with consumers, Procter & Gamble introduced Tide Pods, a single dose laundry detergent in 2012. The process involved 75 technical resources dedicated to the project, more than 450 packaging and product sketches, and 6,000 consumers involved in the research. So how should you use Tide Pods and how well do they clean?

Tide Pods Laundry Detergent

Tide Pods are a single dose laundry detergent. The convenient, pre-dosed liquid pods contain super concentrated Tide detergent, stain remover, and optical brightener in a three chamber polyvinyl film packet. The outer film dissolves completely in any temperature water to release the cleaning products.

Tide Pods are added to the washer drum before adding clothes. Never add the pod to a dispenser drawer or automatic dispenser of any kind. One pod is recommended per average load. Two pods can be added if the load is large or heavily soiled. The pods work in both standard and high efficiency top-loading and front-loading washers.

Listed ingredients on the outer packaging are:

nonionic and anionic surfactants

ethoxylated polyethylene polyamine

enzymes

Complete ingredients are:

water

alcoholethoxy sulfate

linear alkylbenzene sulfonate

alcohol ethoxylate

citric acid

ethanolamine

sodium fatty acids

diethylene glycol

propylene glycol

sodium hydroxide

borax

polyethyleneimine ethoxylate

ethanol

protease

sodium cumene sulfonate

diquaternium ethoxysulfate

Laureth-9

fragrance

amylase

DTPA

disodium diaminostilbene disulfonate

sodium formate

pectinase

calcium formate

mannanase

Liquitint

dimethicone

Tide Pods contain no phosphates and are safe for septic systems. Since the pods dissolve completely, there is no recycling except the outer package. Check with your local recycling center to see if they accept the plastic used in the outer container. Product instructions are listed in English, Spanish and French.

P&G serves billions of customers in more than 70 countries around the world with a huge portfolio of brands including Pampers, Ariel, Pantene, Bounce, Bounty, Dawn, Charmin, Downy, Iams, Crest, Oral-B, Duracell, Olay, Head & Shoulders, Gillette, Braun, Fusion, and Febreze.

Product Review and Laundry Recommendation

All of the original Tide formulas are effective at cleaning everyday soil and leaving clothing fresh. Tide Pods are no exception. The loads of laundry tested came out clean and smelling fresh with the Ocean Mist scent that I tested. However, the Pods formula did not remove every type of stain. Red mud and a set-in oily stain did not come out completely in the wash cycle.

One of concerns with Tide Pods is that the packs cannot be used for pretreating stains. A heavy duty detergent formula like Tide contains enough enzymes to break apart soil and can be used like a stain remover to pretreat stains. With the Pods, you will need to have a separate stain remover for pretreatment.

Tide Pods are very easy to use. They dissolve completely in both cold and hot water. The formula is low-sudsing which is a plus for completely removing suds and soil in the final rinse.

The only "trick" to using the pods is that your hands must be completely dry when handling them or the outer film will begin to dissolve. You should also keep the outer container sealed when not in use especially if you live in a high humidity area to prevent melting.

The pods should always be kept away from children, vulnerable adults, and pets. They look a bit like candy and can squirt into eyes or mouths if punctured.

Even with the higher cost per use verses liquid or powdered detergent, Tide Pods are so convenient for anyone who must use a community laundry room or laundromat because they are easy to transport. They are also an excellent idea for anyone with limited mobility or dexterity who cannot handle jugs and heavy boxes of laundry detergent powder.

I would recommend Tide Pods for use on laundry as an effective, heavy duty detergent. Only you can weigh the cost vs. convenience and determine which is more important to your laundry routine.